Begonia plant named ‘Sunbegosu’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘Sunbegosu’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit; green-colored leaves; and numerous single red-colored flowers that are held above and beyond the foliar plane.

Botanical designation: Begonia semperflorens.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SUNBEGOSU’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia semperflorens and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunbegosu’.

The new Begonia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breeding program is to create new vigorous and freely branching Begonia plants with an outwardly spreading plant habit and attractive leaf and flower coloration.

The new Begonia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in April, 2005 of a proprietary selection of Begonia semperflorens identified as code number BG108-2, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of Begonia semperflorens identified as code number BG101-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Begonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan in September, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan since October, 2006, has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Sunbegosu’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Sunbegosu’ as a new and distinct Begonia plant:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Vigorous growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit.     -   4. Green-colored leaves.     -   5. Numerous single red-colored flowers that are held above and         beyond the foliar plane.

Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in flower color as plants of the female parent selection have pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia are larger than plants of the male         parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia have larger flowers than plants of         the male parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Begonia and the male parent selection         differ in flower color as plants of the male parent selection         have pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of Begonia semperflorens ‘Stara Scarlet’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the new Begonia differed primarily from plants of ‘Stara Scarlet’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia were broader and more vigorous than         plants of ‘Stara Scarlet’.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia were more freely branching than         plants of ‘Stara Scarlet’.     -   3. Plants of the new Begonia had thicker stems than plants of         ‘Stara Scarlet’.     -   4. Plants of the new Begonia had darker red-colored flowers than         plants of ‘Stara Scarlet’.     -   5. Plants of the new Begonia had larger male flowers than plants         of ‘Stara Scarlet’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Begonia plant.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunbegosu’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close up view of a typical plant of ‘Sunbegosu’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in 15-cm containers during the early summer in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan, under commercial practice in an outdoor nursery. During the production of the plants, the day temperatures averaged 23° C. and the night temperatures averaged 13° C. Plants were four months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia semperflorens ‘Sunbegosu’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Begonia             semperflorens identified as code number BG108-2, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Begonia             semperflorens identified as code number BG101-1, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About two weeks at temperatures of             20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 30 days at             temperatures of 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; plants of the new Begonia             have not been observed to form tubers. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Upright and outwardly spreading             habit, broad inverted triangle; freely branching with good             stem strength; flowers are single and positioned above the             foliar plane; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 19.8 cm.         -   Plant width.—About 61 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 22.8 cm. Diameter: About             8.5 mm. Internode length: About 3.1 cm. Aspect: Upright to             outwardly. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 145A             tinted with close to 183A.         -   Leaves.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length: About 9 cm.             Width: About 7 cm. Shape: Roughly reniform, asymmetrical.             Apex: Cuspidate. Base: Cordate. Margin: Shallowly serrate.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Venation pattern: Palmate. Color: Developing and fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 144A; in full             sunlight, tinged with close to 183B; towards the margins,             close to 60A; venation, close to 145A. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B; in full             sunlight, tinted with close to 183B; towards the margins,             close to 60A; venation, close to 178B. Petioles: Length:             About 2.4 cm. Diameter: About 3.2 mm. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface:             Close to 178B. Color, lower surface: Close to 146D.             Stipules: Length: About 2.1 cm. Width: About 1.3 cm. Shape:             Ovate. Apex: Acute to obtuse. Base: Truncate. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144C tinted with             close to 180A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Single flowers arranged in axillary cymes;             usually about four to five flowers per cyme and about 13             cymes per plant; flowers positioned above and beyond the             foliar plane.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants begin flowering about 60             days after planting; in the garden, plants flower             continuously from the spring to the autumn in Japan; male             flowers not persistent; female flowers persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Male flowers buds.—Length: About 2.2 cm. Diameter: About             2.5 cm. Shape: Rounded to ovate. Color: Close to 43A.         -   Male flowers.—Shape: Cruciform. Diameter: About 4.8 cm.             Depth (height): About 5.9 cm. Aspect: Outwardly to drooping.             Tepals: Quantity: Four per flower; two larger and two             smaller tepals. Length, larger tepals: About 2.8 cm. Length,             smaller tepals: About 2.2 cm. Width, larger tepals: About             2.8 cm. Width, smaller tepals: About 8 mm. Shape, larger             tepals: Rounded. Shape, smaller tepals: Narrowly obovate.             Apex, all tepals: Rounded. Base, larger tepals: Rounded to             truncate. Base, smaller tepals: Acute. Margin, all tepals:             Entire. Texture, all tepals, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color, all tepals: When opening and fully             opened, upper surface: Close to 45C. When opening and fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 45B.         -   Female flowers buds.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About             1 cm. Shape: Rounded to ovate. Color: Close to 43A.         -   Female flowers.—Shape: Rounded. Diameter: About 2.3 cm.             Depth (height): About 4.6 cm. Aspect: Drooping. Tepals:             Quantity: Five or six per flower in a single whorl. Length:             About 1.5 cm to 2.1 cm. Width: About 5 mm to 15 mm. Shape:             Obovate to narrowly obovate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Obtuse to             acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening and fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 45C. When opening and fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 45B.         -   Flower bracts.—Length: About 6.9 mm. Width: About 3.9 mm.             Color: Close to 45B.         -   Peduncles.—Angle: Outwardly. Length: About 4.1 cm. Diameter:             About 2.3 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to             144B tinted with close to 45B.         -   Pedicels.—Angle: Outwardly to drooping. Length: About             2.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.2 mm. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: Close to 45B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: About 124 per male             flower. Length: About 8.3 mm. Anther shape: Elliptical.             Anther length: About 3.2 mm. Anther diameter: About 1.4 mm.             Anther color: Close to 12A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: Close to 12A. Pistils: Quantity: One per female             flower. Length: About 6.9 mm. Stigma shape: Six-lobed,             convoluted. Stigma color: Close to 12A. Style color: Close             to 12A. Ovary length: About 1.6 cm. Ovary diameter: About             2.9 cm. Ovary color: Close to 45C.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been observed             on plants of the new Begonia. -   Postproduction longevity: Excellent postproduction longevity, plants     last about 180 days. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Begonias has not been observed. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed     to tolerate temperatures from about 15° C. to about 35° C. 

1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘Sunbegosu’ as illustrated and described. 